Greece bans foreign-bound deliveries

In the wake of a series of mail bomb attacks at foreign embassies in Athens, the Greek authorities have decided to halt all mail deliveries to foreign destinations for 48 hours, Press TV reported.

"At the suggestion of the Greek police, the Civil Aviation Service resolved to suspend foreign mail deliveries for 48 hours for additional safety checks," RIA Novosti quoted a spokeswoman for the Greek police as saying.

The decision comes following the unprecedented arrival of mail bombs at foreign embassies in Greece, with one targeting the German Chancellor Angela Merkel's office and the other intended for the French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Two of dozens mail bombs went off outside the Russian and Swiss embassies in Athens, while police forces intercepted and defused two others at the Athens airport.

Embassies of Bulgaria, Germany, Chile and the Netherlands have reportedly been among places to be hit by the wave of parcel bombs.

Late on Tuesday, a passenger plane bound for Rome made an emergency landing after a suspicious parcel was discovered onboard.

Greek official are examining the parcel, which was allegedly destined for Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Two men have been taken into custody in Athens on Monday following the blasts, one of which was intended for the Mexican embassy.

The surge of bomb threats has occurred as local elections loom in Greece and the country strives to break free of the worst financial crisis in decades.